Intelligent electronic control for refrigeration systems (e.g., a commercial refrigeration system such as can be found at a supermarket) requires extensive configuration of the operating and safety parameters of the system. The configurable parameters are specific to the subsystems and devices to which the controls are attached and vary according to the application. In order to properly protect both equipment and refrigerated product, electronic controls applied to commercial refrigeration systems employ an alarm condition action and notification strategy. These alarm conditions can be categorized as control and safety. Control alarm conditions exist when a monitored or control parameter exists outside predetermined operational limits. Safety alarm conditions result when a monitored or calculated parameter traverses a predetermined safety limit.
Existing electronic controls for commercial refrigeration systems require installing personnel to determine all alarm limits and are manually configured in the system controller. Subsequent to installation and start-up of the refrigeration system, operating and service personnel can modify these limits. Each of these scenarios provides opportunity for the implementation of erroneous operational and/or safety alarm limits. These errors will go unnoticed until they result in product loss, catastrophic equipment failure, or property damage.